


Cold Nights

by KingBirb



Category: Rapunzel's Tangled Adventure (Cartoon)
Genre: Cuddling & Snuggling, Even more cuddles, F/F, Two Shot, Unrequited Love?, a bit angsty
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-12-10
Updated: 2021-03-03
Packaged: 2021-03-10 05:07:26
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 2
Words: 2,453
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/27988944
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/KingBirb/pseuds/KingBirb
Summary: It’s a cold night on the road and someone may be a good source of heat.
Relationships: Cassandra/Rapunzel (Disney: Tangled)
Comments: 6
Kudos: 97





	1. Chapter 1

**Author's Note:**

> I just wrote this in like 30 minutes okay. I’m not really good at writing romance stuff but I tried. Just take the Cassunzel.

A steady shivering could be felt on the shared bed. Nights are always cold out on the road, and the approaching autumn weather did not improve this. Rapunzel was curled in on herself, yet could not manage to get warm no matter how much she hid underneath the covers. She learned early on not to bother attempting to use the body next to her for warmth, and Rapunzel respected their wishes. So here she is, curled up on a bitter night, unable to find enough warmth to sleep.

Cass is used to sleeping in the cold. The lower level of the castle doesn’t exactly get the best heating at night, granted she could easily light a fire in her room back at home. Here, in the middle of a cold night in the caravan, the shivering next to her fails to cease. She tries her hardest to ignore it, but her heart melts for Rapunzel. Early on in their travels, these feelings started growing inside her anytime Raps would show any affection for her. These feelings had to go. So she pushed the princess away. It was best for both of them. She wouldn’t lie to herself and say it didn’t hurt, but it had to be done.

The constant shifting of Rapunzel's position, desperate for any warmth is useless. All Cass wants to do is turn towards her and wrap her arms comfortably around the blonde behind her, but she manages to restain herself. She lies perfectly still, hoping it will help her get to sleep faster, but isn’t having much luck, her mind still racing with thoughts about the princess. 

This goes on for a while. That is until Cass feels a weight against her back. She feels a body settling behind her, pushing as close as possible, and a shivering breathe against the back of her neck. Cass could only swallow thickly, frozen in place. An arm wraps around her middle as Rapunzel snuggles into her back. Cass takes a moment, trying to calm her heart that seems to be beating a mile a minute. Her body starts to tense up a little as she tries to make her brain work again. She needs to do something, she’s not allowed to be feeling like this. 

“Um, Raps?” Cass tries, in a raspy voice barely above a whisper. How her voice didn’t crack when she said that is a mystery to her. Soon after she said those words, Rapunzel pulled away in a haste.

“I’m so sorry Cass, I know how you are about your personal space, I was just so cold,” Rapunzel began, still shivering. Cass couldn’t help but shift her body around to face the blonde. “I really am sorry, it won’t happen again, I pro-“ before she could finish that thought warm arms wrapped around the princess, and she felt herself being pulled into the taller body in front of her. Cass brought her arms behind Rapunzel’s back and rested her head on top of the blonde hair, allowing Raps to bury her face in Cass’s neck. Their legs quickly intertwined as Cass brought Rapunzel’s body flush against her own.

Cass knows this is almost certainly a mistake, and that she will have to deal with the consequences of her heart beating off the charts another day. But she can worry about that later. “Raps, I’m sorry for making it seem like it’s not okay to touch me. If there’s ever a time where you feel it’s particularly necessary, let me know, and I’ll be here for you.” ‘I love you’, she said in her head. She could feel Rapunzel’s smile growing against her neck and the princess attempted to snuggle even closer, wrapping her arms around Cassandra’s waste. The raven haired woman pulled the covers up over the two of them and rested her cheek against the top of the princess’s head, nuzzling it. There was no more shivering that night, or any nights to follow.


	2. Warm Night

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> What if the night wasn’t cold?

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hello again, it’s been a while since I wrote that first chapter, and it was originally a one-shot but not anymore. 
> 
> That first chapter was just a spur of the moment thing but this one I actually put more effort into. 
> 
> I hope y’all enjoy!

The nights following, Cass sticks with her word. As Rapunzel and herself retire each evening, they get in bed on opposite ends, but as the cold of the night begins seeping into the caravan, Raps slowly creeps closer to her friend, before eventually cuddling up to her. 

Every single time, Cass can’t help the giddy smile on her face, and every single time, her heart feels like it’s going to beat out of her chest. After cuddling for warmth, they both fall asleep soon after, and in the mornings, wake up legs entwined and arms wrapped around each other. 

A strange warmth settles in Cass’s chest every morning after waking up in Rapunzel’s arms. ‘This girl who had been tricked and lied to for her entire life trusts me enough to sleep in my arms.’ The thought sends heat flaring up to her cheeks. 

The first to wake up is usually Cass. During this time, the princess in her arms tends to snuggle deeper into her chest unconsciously in response to the chilly morning air. Cassandra finds it utterly adorable. 

One morning when Cass woke especially early, she found Raps’s head buried into her chest. Cass, forgetting for a moment of the reality of her situation, placed a short peck on the top of the princess’s head. The moment it had happened, Cass pulled back in a panic. Rapunzel shifted, and Cass froze, paralyzed with fear. Fortunately, it didn’t seem Raps had noticed. If anyone asked, it never happened. 

It became a routine for the pair, and while it grew difficult for Cass to keep in what she was feeling, how Raps made her feel. Cuddling with Rapunzel became the highlight of her day, but of course she would never tell anyone, especially the princess herself. As far as Rapunzel knew, they cuddled together for warmth, nothing else. 

Things changed when they crashed on a small, uninhabited, tropical island in the middle of the sea. Well, they soon found out it was inhabited by tiny leaf people, but aside from that, they were stuck there until the next ferry was due to arrive which would be within a month. 

By nightfall everyone gathered up into the large hut that Cassandra, Rapunzel, Max, and Pascal all worked together to make. While building the hut, two separate beds were built separating Cass and Raps. Tonight would be the first night in months they would sleep in different beds. 

A warm breeze circulates the building through the building as the moon finally takes position in the sky. It had been a long day for everyone, the men already out like lights in their separate room. 

The room that Cass shared with Raps was a good enough size to fit Rapunzel’s large royal bed as well as Cass’s much smaller cot a few feet away. 

Cass lays on her side, facing away from the princess. Closing her eyes, Cass attempts to lay completely still in hopes that she’d fall asleep soon, but something is keeping her up. Now that she finally has a bed all to herself, sleeping should be so much easier, right? Cass quickly realized that to be utterly untrue. 

The room was warm enough to not even require a blanket, so it wasn't the cold affecting her sleep. Something felt off. 

A shifting from across the room catches Cass’s attention. The princess should be asleep by now. Confused, Cass flips over to face Rapunzel. 

In the dim light, Cass can make out Raps’s form shifting every few seconds. In her arms, a pillow is being squeezed tightly to her chest as she attempts to curl in against it unsuccessfully. 

A soft grunt of irritation from the blonde is heard. Rapunzel sits up tensely and begins frantically fluffing the pillows around her in frustration. She tries lying down again only to sit up immediately, sighing heavily. 

Rapunzel’s head turns to look in Cass’s direction, their eyes meeting. Silence hangs between them. A desperate glimmer in the blonde’s eyes tells Cass everything she needs to know. They both can’t sleep for the same reason. 

Cass slowly sits up. Still looking into the princess’s eyes, a silent question hangs in the air. Raps’s face is practically pleading, and she pats the spot next to her. 

Before she knows it, Cass is already standing at the edge of Rapunzel’s bed. Raps slides over making space on the bed, prompting Cass to lie down. Setting a knee down on the cushion, Cass climbs on, lying her head down on one of Rapunzel’s many pillows, facing the blonde. 

Not soon after, Raps’s head is buried beneath Cassandra’s chin, nuzzling her, and arms coming up to wrap around her torso. Both let out a deep sigh as their legs intertwine and Cass settles into the embrace, her cheek resting on the blonde’s head. 

They stay like this for a few minutes, still awake, contemplating what this meant. 

Sleeping cuddled up to each other has become almost second nature to them at this point. It used to be for warmth, but at some point, Cass isn’t sure when, that changed. They need each other. They need to be there for the other. 

The quiet between them is finally broken. “Cass,” Rapunzel murmurs. Cassandra hums in acknowledgement. Rapunzel smiles wistfully against Cass’s neck. “Why does this feel so… so right? I know you feel it too.”

The warmth in the air suddenly feels a lot more heavy. The thumping of Cass’s heart is strong, and she is certain Raps could feel it stutter for a moment before it steadily began speeding up until it settled on a racing pace. 

“Raps…” Cass pauses, and feels the blonde squeeze her tighter, as if afraid that the raven haired woman would try and get away. “Raps, we can’t talk about this-“

“But Cass, I need you to know. This feeling in my gut whenever I see you, touch you- it’s like a million butterflies are swarming around in my stomach. It hurts, it hurts so much, Cass. But it also feels so freeing, so warm. I don't want it to go away, because it’s real, and what I feel for you is real.” 

Cass feels her breath hitch, mind working in overdrive. Not daring to move, Rapunzel hides her face even farther into Cassandra’s neck.

“Rapunzel, please you know this can’t happen.” Cass tries to reason with herself as well as Rapunzel. This would change everything. It could ruin Rapunzel’s life. Cass, no matter what she feels, won’t let that happen. 

Cass can feel a dampness glazing over her eyes, and her voice grows heavy. “You have a future with Eugene, you- whatever you feel, it could ruin everything.”

In her arms, Cass can feel Rapunzel trembling, only this time she knows it’s not because of the cold. Cass feels Raps’s hot tears spilling onto her neck, and the princess' whole body hiccuping in a choked sob. 

“I know,” Rapunzel says in a small, broken voice. “But Cass?” The princess pulls back a bit to look up into Cass’s face. Tears stream down both of their faces, and Cass bites her lip, forcing herself to look back at Raps. The trembling doesn’t cease as Rapunzel stares fearfully into Cass’s eyes. “I love you.”

Cass grips onto the back of Rapunzel’s nightgown tightly as she lets out a quiet sob of her own. The raw emotion Cass is showing is more than Raps has ever seen, and the princess feels her heart clench. “I-I love you too, Raps.”

They both lean forward carefully, caution being thrown out the window, both overcome with emotion. Their lips meet. It’s soft, so, so soft, and they both tilt their heads sweetly while keeping a light pressure against the other. Rapunzel’s hand moves up to rest on Cass’s cheek, thumb wiping away at the tears that are still spilling out of her tightly shut eyes. 

The moment is dragged out, the two losing each other in the soft press of their lips. Kissing Cass is like a drink of fresh water on a hot day. Rapunzel savors the feel of Cass’s lips on hers, warmth spreading through her whole body, her heart singing. 

As Cass begins pulling away, Rapunzel chases her lips with her own, hoping to have just a few more moments of bliss. Cassandra has troubling resisting Raps’s enticing lips, mind hazy. After finally pulling back, Cass is grinning like an idiot, and Rapunzel eyes softening at the beautiful woman in front of her. 

Rapunzel leans up, softly kissing Cass’s forehead. 

Raps sighs shakily. “Cass, people can’t choose who they fall in love with, and I didn’t choose for it to be you, but I wouldn’t trade my love for you for anything. Never. Loving you is like breathing. It’s so easy and I never want to stop. My brain says this can’t happen, but my heart wants nothing more.”

Cass can't help the rapid pounding in her chest, but her smile fades as she remembers the extent of their situation. “Rapunzel, I don’t want to hold you back. I don’t want to complicate your life anymore than it is, you and Eugene are-” 

“That kiss felt more right than anything I’ve ever felt with Eugene,” Raps cuts her off, voice earnest. “I have never felt anything like this before. Everything in me wants this- I just want you, Cass. No one else. Not Eugene, you.”

Cass pulls the princess back into her chest, holding her tightly. “Are you sure?” Cass asks shakily. 

The trembling princess in her arms slowly nods against chest. “More than anything. I would do anything to be able to love you. To be with you and to sleep with you in my arms every night of the rest of my life. You are my everything, Cassandra.” 

“Rapunzel, I’m not much for lovey dovey, but I do know that I want this too. I want to be the one to make you happy, and I want to fall asleep with you by my side every night. I want this so much Raps, and I think we can figure it out.” Cass’s face feels like it’s burning at the confession. 

The princess listens in awe, and takes a few moments to process what Cass just said. If she didn’t think she could love this woman any more, she was sorely mistaken, and her is heart swelling intensely with love for her. 

Smile slowly growing on the princess’s face, Rapunzel snuggles up to Cass lovingly. With one last peck to the top of Rapunzel’s head, Cassandra tightens her hold on the princess.

“Goodnight, Raps. I love you.”

“I love you too, Cass.”

They both fall asleep soon after, content and safe in each other’s arms.


End file.
